Non-thumb-sucking garment and method of making the same



Dec. 3, 1940. g BQMMER 2,223,478

NON-THUMB-SUCKING GARMENT AND METHOD OF MAKING THE SAME Filed Oct. 7, 1938 gzama flammer Patented Dec. 3, 1940 PATENT OFFICE NON-THUMB-SUCKING GARMENT AND METHOD OF MAKING THE SAME Johanna Bummer, Greenwich, Conn.

j c Application October 7, 1938, Serial No. 233,839

2 Claims. (01. 128-136) The present invention relates to an infants non-thumb-sucking garment and the methodof making the same. i

An object of the inventionis to provide a novel and adapted for use inconnection with preventive dentistry, as the use thereof prevents the infant from sucking the digits. of the hands, and more.

particularly the thumb. This sucking habit, if 'allowed to continue, invariablypulls the lower jaw forward, resulting in. a facial deformity caused by the excessive unidirectional pressure upon the infants jaw bone during the formative period thereof.

Another object is to provide an easily-washable hand and arm covering made of linen or the like, which is worn by an infant to prevent thumb sucking. i

Another object is to provide a' non-thumbsucking garment which is particularly adaptable for use by the infantwhois teething during the excessively warm summer months.

A further object is to provide a non-thumbsucking garment which prevents a child user from directly touching'its arms or hands.

Another object is to provide an easily-washable, economical non-thumb-sucking garmentwhich is made from one piece of .linen or the like, in such a manner as to reduce the number of seams to a minimum, thus decreasing the cost of making each article and eliminating seams which irritate the skin of the infant when it constantly comes in contact therewith. I

Another object is to provide a flexible nonthumb-sucking garment freely covering the arms and hands of the infant user and removably fastened around its neck, whereby the child is un hampered in the movement of its arms and hands but refrains from sucking its thumb or fingers because of the uninviting feeling in his mouth of the flexible casing thereabouts or because of the width of the casing is unable to find its thumb.

Another object is to provide a cool, neat, sanitary and comfortable non-thumb-sucking garment particularly to be used by the summer babies, i. e., those which teethe during the hot sumsummer months, at which time they are prone to acquire the undesirable and injurious thumb sucking habit.

Another object is to provide a non-thumbsucking garment which is adapted to be worn over an infants dress or coat or to be worn directly in contact with the childs body.

Another object is to provide an easily washable and easily driable non-thumb-sucking garment of improved garment .which is especially such a width and length throughout the arm and hand portions thereof as to give the infant com plete comfort and freedom of movement, and of such a flexibility as to allow the infant to grasp I the sidewalls of its crib for support as it toddles 5 about.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will be apparent from the following specification and from the claims appended hereto. 1, In the drawing wherein like numerals refer to 1 like or corresponding parts throughout the several views,

Figure 1 is a plan view of an integral blank of linen or the like, from which the non-thumbsucking garment is made, 1-5

Figure 2 is a front elevation of the garment in its completed form, 1

Figure 3 is a view taken along the lines 3-3 01' Figure 2, Y A

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken along the 20' lines 4-4 of Figure 2, and

Figure 5 is a modification fragmentarily showing a collar piece stitchedly engaging the wing members. Y

Referring now to the drawing, the numeral I0 25 indicates generally a blank of linen or any other flexible material. The blank l0 comprises two wing members H and 12. The wing member II is provided with flat edges l3 and with rounded edges l4 which are an integral continuation of the 30 flat edges l3 in a direction substantially right angularQ The rounded edges I Aconverge inwardly at the inner end portions thereof and meet in a common point l5. The edges [6 are an integral continuation of the edges l3 and extend inwardly 35 therefrom at an angle. Each of edges l6 at the inner ends thereof are integrally connected with a neck or collar portion l l which is provided with free ends l8. Adjacent the free ends l8 are the buttons l8b which are proportioned to removably 40 engage through the button holes l8a. Any other fastening means may be used if so desired, e. g., a zipper adapted to open so as to allow the garment to be removed over the infants head.

The wing member I2 is provided, in a manner 5 corresponding to wing member I l, with flat edges l9 and rounded edges 20 which terminate at a common point 2|. The edges 22 extend inwardly from and are an integral continuation of the edges l9. At their inner ends the edges 22 merge 50 into the collar portion H at a point oppositely spacedfrom the points at which edges l6 merge into the said collar portion.

In forming the non-thumb-sucking garment from the blank ID the flat edges l3 and I9 and 55 the rounded edge portions l4 and 20 of the wing members II and [2 respectively are brought into abutting position and sewed or otherwise fastened together. The stitching runs along the edges [3 and M of the wing member ll and terminates at the point [5, and in Wing member l2 it runs along y the edges [9 and 20 and terminates at the point 2|, to thereby completely close the outer end and side portions of the wing members H and I2 respectively. The edges l6 are not fastened together and thereby form an opening at the upper end of the wing member I I which is adapted to comfortably receive therein the hand and arm of an infant. Likewise, the edges 22, in their un-- fastened condition, furnish an opening at the upper end of the wing member l2 whichis proportioned to receive the other hand and arm of the infant user.

In Figure 5 of the drawing, Ha designates a wing member stitchedly or otherwise fastened to a collar portion Ha. At a point diametrically opposite to the area of jointure of the wing H a to the collar portion Ha is a similar wing member I 2a which issimilarly attached to the said collar portion. In this modification of the invention, the completed non-thumb-suckinggarment is formed from three pieces, the collar portion Ila and the two wing members Ila and I221. attached thereto. The collar portion Ila is adapted to be disposed around the neck of the infant user and fastened together by engaging the buttons IBb through the button holes lBa, or in any other manner. The collar portion Ila when it is fitted around the neck of the child user, rests flatly upon the shoulder blades and thus supports the garment and keeps the wing members I la and lZa from sliding down and exposing the arms and hands. The collar portion Ila fits loosely about the childs neck and. there is no danger of choking.

The wing members it and I2 are each greater in length than thecombined length of the in-' fants handsand arms which they are adapted to receive. The width of the said wing members I l and I2 is substantially greater than the width of the infants arm. This greater length and width of the flexible wing members H and 12 respectively permits the infant to freely work its arms and hands therein and at the same time decrease the chance of the infant finding its thumb or fingers when it is beset with the desire so to do. The wing members H and [2 have respectively unseamed portions 23 and 24 which normally contact the infants arms when the garment is worn. These seamless areas of body contact eliminate any chafing or irritation of the infants tender skin which would result if the infants arms rubbed continuously against a seamed area.

The seams along the edges [3, l4, l9 and 20 are preferably so constructed so that the jointures will be interiorly free from any rough spots which might cause irritation of the infants skin. At

the same time the seam areas are of such a struc-' ture that the complete non-thumb-sucking garment presents a neat and attractive appearance.

When in use the wing member ll encases the infants right arm and hand and the wing member l2 covers the left arm and hand. The collar portion I1 rests upon the infants shoulders and is comfortably fastened around its neck. The

' wing members are thus prevented from sliding down and exposing the infants hands. This feature combined with the exaggerated length and width of the said flexible wing members provides an effective non-thumb-sucking garment.

Further modifications will be apparent to those skilled in the art and it is desired, therefore, that the invention be limited only by the prior art and the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A flexible cloth blank for use in making a non-thumb-sucking garment which comprises, a pair of diametrically opposed portions, each of said portions having apair of substantially parallel side edges merging at one end thereof'into rounded outer edges and at the other end into inwardly extending inneredges, and said inner edges. merging into an intermediate portion connecting said diametrically opposed portions.

2. A flexible cloth blank for use in making a non-thumb-sucking garment which comprises, a pair of diametrically opposed portions, each of said portions having a pair of oppositely disposed substantially parallel side edges merging at the outer ends thereof into rounded edges which terminate at a common point intermediate said parallel edges,.each of said parallel side edges merging at the inner ends thereof into inwardly extending edges which merge into a substantially circular portion centrally recessed, and said circular portion connecting said diametrically pposed portions. I

JOHANNA BOMMER. 

